The FIH Hockey Pro League women’s relegation battle is set for a tense finish after Ireland’s 3-1 loss to Germany on Friday left them tied on points with England at the bottom of the table, with England still holding a game in hand. Australia’s women also didn’t do themselves any favours after being beaten 2-1 by Belgium. In the other women’s match of the day, Argentina turned the tables on Spain, beating them 2-0 to climb above the Belgians into second spot on the log. Meanwhile, in the men’s tournament, another thrilling encounter saw India getting the better of arch-rivals Pakistan 7-1. And there were also goals galore in the showdown between Spain and Argentina, which the South Americans edged in a shootout after a 4-4 draw before the Netherlands made the most of their chances to beat Australia 6-3.

Belgium’s men missed the chance to clinch the FIH Hockey Pro League title on Thursday after suffering their first regulation-time defeat of the season. The 2-1 defeat at the hands of Australia means they can still be caught at the top of the table, as England kept their hopes alive with a shootout win over India. The other men’s result of the day saw Germany’s men edging Spain in a shootout, and the German women had plenty to celebrate after their 2-1 win over China ensured their safety from the relegation zone. In the other women’s matches, England claimed an important extra point with a shootout win over Argentina, while the already-confirmed champions, the Netherlands, secured an emphatic 4-1 win over Belgium.

Belgium’s men came from behind against the Netherlands to extend their season-long unbeaten streak with a 2-2 draw before taking the extra point in the shootout. Over in London, England’s men worked hard for their narrow win over already-relegated Pakistan to preserve their outside chance of catching the Belgians at the top of the table. The English women, however, remain in the relegation battle after a 1-0 loss to Spain. Meanwhile, the Dutch women celebrated sealing a sixth Pro League title and Olympic qualification in style by completing a commanding 6-0 victory over Australia. And in Berlin, Germany struck late to edge Argentina 2-1, while earlier in the evening, China also left it late to snatch a 2-1 victory over Ireland.